


A Lifetime Of Scars

by OlrichRakdos



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Both can speak, Everyone is in one big home, Female!Chara - Freeform, Female!Frisk, Frisk and Chara in one body, Multi, Post-breaking the barrier, Risque!Chara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-05-22 19:43:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6091938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlrichRakdos/pseuds/OlrichRakdos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chara was the first human to fall into Mt Ebbott, and the first to leave her mark on the inhabitants.<br/>Frisk was the last human to fall in, and the one who helped break the barrier.<br/>Now, years later, old wounds start becoming new again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Signs

As the first rays of light shone through the crack in her blinds and onto her face, Frisk rubbed her tired eyes and turned over in the bed. _Is it too much to ask for a half-hour more sleep?_

Unfortunately, she never got the answer to the question, thanks to her bedroom door bursting open, a familiar lanky skeleton in usual blue pants and orange adornments standing there. "HUMAN! IT IS THE MORNING!"

The statement was met with one of Frisk's signature groans of annoyance.

"COME, HUMAN! THE BREAKFAST AWAITS! ALPHYS AND UNDYNE MADE IT FROM ONE OF THEIR SHOWS!" The mention of food made Frisk pause. _Hopefully, it's better than his spaghetti_ , she thought, slowly sitting up and giving Papyrus a tired smile.

While he bolted down the corridor with a loud and apparently victorious 'NYEH-HEH-HEH!', Frisk took a second to stretch. She always had trouble getting active, but once she was up, only the end of the day could make her sleep.

Stepping out of her room, she saw no one else in the hallway. _Probably eating downstairs. Good. Gives me time to actually properly wake up._

The bathroom was, luckily, right beside her room, and one quick shower later, Frisk was ready to take on the world.

\-------

Something felt off as she stepped into the kitchen. Nothing could smell as good as what had been laid out on the table.

"Like what we made, bestie?!" Undyne grinned, proudly displaying the abundance of pancakes, waffles, bacon, peaches and syrup splayed out on the table. "Had to make do with some ingredients we didn't have, but it'll taste delicious!"

Behind her, Alphys nodded. "We used a subst-t-titution in the recipes, and we're waiting for you to tell us if it compares t-to the things you make." Surprisingly, everyone else was waiting for Frisk to tuck in first, Asgore patting the chair beside him.

Frisk felt a couple of tears spring to her eyes, a smile spreading across her face. "You didn't have to do this." Walking over, she took a couple of pancakes, three mouthfuls already going down well, before a pause to breathe and query. "What substitutions did you do?"

Undyne chuckled. " Well, we had no cups of butter, so we used buttercups instead!"

Asgore, Toriel and Frisk all froze at the same time.

Toriel was the first to act, going for the phone at the exact moment Asgore started shouting. "Undyne, Buttercup Flowers Are Poisonous!"

Frisk's last sight before hitting the floor and blacking out was Papyrus coming over to her, his voice sounding like it was underwater. "HUMAN? IS THAT FACT TRUE ABOUT BUTTERCUPS?"


	2. Everything Has A Price

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, and the first to be able to influence others.  
> Frisk was the last human, and the third to succumb to buttercups.  
> Near-death experiences are worrying for most people.

Asgore hefted the now-unconscious Frisk in his arms, still shouting at Undyne. "How Many Did You Put Into The Full Batter?!"

The fish monster on the end of the verbal tirade paused. "Uh... thirteen? Crushed up?"

"The ambulance is on the way." Toriel's voice echoed from the hallway, and Asgore's rage was quelled for a second by the relief that there would be proper assistance. Unlike the last times this had happened...

Shaking his head slightly to clear the thoughts, the king's gaze turned violent again, directed at Alphys. "How did you not know that Buttercups Were Poisonous?!"

Sans snorted from the hallway entrance, Toriel behind him. "Cause her fields are robotics and biology, not medicine."

**"Did I Ask You?!"** Twisting his body to face the skeleton, Asgore towered over him.

Not even slightly intimidated, Sans shrugged. "You never specified who you were talking to."

A look of thunder shot across the goat monster's face. "I was talking to today's chefs!"

It was at that point that sirens started to approach, and Asgore was glad for the interruption, his voice forced into a calm and measured tone. "If you all will excuse me, I must care for our adopted child."

He strode for the door, kicking it down just as the ambulance pulled up outside, and placed Frisk on the stretcher provided. "Thirteen crushed buttercups in a pancake batter for roughly one hundred and four pancakes, if that helps."

Both doctors nodded, one speaking up as the other gently pushed it into the back. "It does, sir. A twelve point five percent dose is still very dangerous, but it is not as lethal as it could have been. You're her parents, I presume?"

The king had barely noticed his wife-turned ex-turned wife again come up beside him. "We are. Toriel and Asgore Dreemurr."

As both of them climbed into the back and the ambulance stated to move again, each placed a hand on Frisk's shoulder.

\-------

It was weird. She had never eaten buttercups before. Sure, they smelt delicious, but they were poisonous. Even she knew that.

It suddenly clicked for Frisk. _Something smelt off when I walked in._

A chuckle broke Frisk out of her thoughts, sarcasm laced through every word. "And that smell was the buttercups. Bravo, honey. I can see why you're _so_ intelligent."

Turning about, Frisk saw a teenager, about her age, wearing a black crop top, black jeans and spiked boots. The most unsettling thing about her, though, was the red eyes and auburn, shoulder length hair.

The teenager spoke again. "What, don't recognize me? I'm shocked, Frisk. Surely you'd remember me even if I grew up with you."

Her name left Frisk's mouth like venom. **_"Chara."_**

A slow trio of claps followed it, her smirk menacing. "Hooray, you remembered."

"What do you want?" Frisk had no intention of sticking around, even if she would just be in a blank canvas until she woke up.

Chara grinned. "I want to make a deal. You remember what happened in the underground, of course. I was always there, hiding in your shadow, waiting for you to strike someone down."

The grin quickly faded. "Then I realized something. You were too nice for your own good. I invaded your dreams, showing you what you could do with my help."

Frisk shuddered. "Don't remind me. But even if I heard you out, why would I want you to come out?"

Chara sighed. "Well, the way I see it, there are a couple of options available to you. One is that you throw me back into your head, but eventually, I'll resurface and take over forcefully, destroying every ounce of you. And I think you don't want that.

"Another option is for you to let me take over, but then you'd be the backseat driver. I don't think I could cope with having you in my head all the time, just like you can't cope with me always in yours."

Frisk cleared her throat. "So then, what's this deal you have?"

The dark redhead grinned. "The deal is that we work together."

"No. Absolutely not. Last time, you tricked me into attacking Undyne a couple of times."

"Because she was chasing us. Just hear me out, please."

It wasn't often that Chara even thought of that word, let alone use it. Frisk simply folded her arms and waited.

"You get a tattoo on your left arm. I can supply the design at any point, and hell, I'll even draw it onto paper for you. The tattoo allows both of us to inhabit your body and communicate, yet keeps a barrier between us so neither can take full control."

Frisk raised an eyebrow. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Chara's face turned from the usual dark smile into a slight frown. "You don't. And I know it might be insane to think it, but I'm tired of fighting you, and I know you're tired of fighting me.

"In any case, do whatever you want. However, if I don't get a response within a week, then I'll assume you've rejected my offer."

Then Chara turned and strode into the darkness, swinging her hips side to side. "I'll be waiting for you, honey.~"


	3. Decisions To Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall, and the first to climb back up from the depths.  
> Frisk was the last human, and the only one to show empathy for monsters.  
> Nothing could prepare them for the choice.

Mettaton was furious.

He had gotten back to the shared home just as he saw an ambulance turn a corner down the block, but thought nothing of it until he walked inside.

The table still had an immense amount of food on it, but the problems were Alphys and Undyne sitting down and comforting each other, Papyrus glaring at them with empty sockets and Sans gesturing about, destroying the food with blasts from his inherited 'Gaster Blasters', as he called them.

The biggest problem, however, was the conspicuous absence of the Dreemurrs and Frisk. "Friends, maker, where might our little Darling and her guardians be?"

Sans turned, glaring at the robot. "On their way to the hospital. Ambulance just picked them up."

A dawning comprehension worked its way onto Mettaton's face. _The ambulance was Frisk?_

He barely noticed Alphys speaking, voice raw from emotion. "We t-t-tried to be nice, b-b-but buttercups aren't-"

Mettaton wasn't listening anymore, having turned about and strode for the door. "If you wish to make amends with our Darling, then come with me to visit them."

"WHAT ABOUT THE DISHES AND FOOD?"

The robot threw an arm backwards, a handful of smaller versions of himself transforming from the arm. "I can deal without an arm for now."

\-------

The stretcher squeaked along the marble floor, rattling with each unconscious retch and twitch from Frisk, the tube down her throat coated in stomach acid. Behind her, Asgore and Toriel strode, keeping pace with the doctors around her.

The professionals were talking to each other. "Is it ranunculus poisoning or protoanemonin?" "Protoanemonin. No blisters in her mouth, nor dysentry." "No spasms, so a lower dosage than expected."

Toriel picked up her pace, getting beside Frisk and grasping her hand. "It is going to be alright, my child."

"Apologies, but trained medical professionals only past this point."

The two goat monsters paused at the door, looking at the young man holding a hand out. "It is hard for every parent, I know, but your daughter is in the hands of the best in this hospital."

Asgore and Toriel could only watch as their third child left their sight, praying that it would not be the third time they lost another.

\-------

"Chara, wait!" As much as Frisk hated it, she'd need the help to regain conscious.

It felt like a minute before Chara reappeared, the crop top replaced by a lacy black bra and a pair of fingerless gloves. Her boots and pants remained the same. "Decided already?~"

A sigh escaped Frisk's lips. "I'll decide in a couple of days. For now, though... I need your help to get out of here."

A raised eyebrow was the redhead's only response.

 _Damn her being so difficult to talk to._ "As much as I have determination to wake up, you've dealt with buttercups before."

A chuckle escaped Chara. "And you think I know how to get you back? I had raw buttercups. Let me tell you, it was _horrible_. Blood from both ends due to blisters inside me, unable to breathe from the blisters and the effort of puking so much..." She paused, the usual smirk having turned into a frown.

Frisk moved over to Chara, wrapping her arms around the other teen. "It's gonna be alright, Chara. If you're honest and willing, maybe you could come back properly. Never know."

Chara blinked. "You... You actually think I can change?"

"Everyone can. Even you."


	4. A Double First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, and the first to try and come back from the other side.  
> Frisk was the last human, but might be the first to have two souls.  
> Numerous timelines are annoying, especially when some aren't you.

Running a hand through her jet-black hair, Frisk paused. "So, is there a way to get back that doesn't involve violence, murder or something that you would love?"

Chara snorted in amusement. "Easily. You could wait until they pump your stomach and bring you back naturally."

"Any others?"

A pause followed the statement. "Well, if you were willing, I could make the time fly."

Frisk's eyes narrowed. Something about Chara seemed off, like she was being... Reluctant? Hesitant? She just couldn't put her finger on it. "How?"

"We go on an adventure together in here. I mean, if you wanted to, and if you trust me."

 _Trust._ Frisk raised an eyebrow. "If you do anything wrong in here that results in something bad happening, then I'll punt you out and recover solo. Deal?"

Chara nodded. "Deal. I want to show I've changed, Frisk."

\-------

With a snap of her fingers, the darkness receded, revealing a familiar flowerbed with a familiar person that Frisk instantly recognized. "Is that me?"

Chara nodded. "It is. A 'what if' scenario, where you decided you wanted to get home no matter what."

The two could only watch as Frisk stood, then strode purposefully through the ruins, past Flowey and alongside Toriel, before they stopped, a dummy in front of them.

Chara raised a hand, and everything seemed to stop. "Here's the earliest change. You talked to the dummy when you were down there. But this time..."

Frisk blinked as she saw herself heft a stick and smash the dummy in the face, making it topple over with a split in the head. "I... Wow. That was a good hit."

"Thanks." The response wasn't filled with the usual enthusiasm that Frisk expected. Glancing over, she saw Chara frowning at the scene, even as it started to move on.

Chara raised a hand just before the fast-forwarding slowed down again, and a Froggit jumped out from the shadows in front of the illusion Frisk.

The only words out of the real Frisk's mouth were 'Oh, no...' before the same stick cracked across the Froggit's head, sending it sprawling into the darkness as it dissolved out of sight.

Toriel turned about, raising an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, my child? You are brandishing that stick quite aggressively."

A dark smile was the only reply.

\-------

"Prove to me you are strong enough to survive." Toriel stood in front of the doorway, her arms spread slightly.

The scene froze, and Chara turned, a frown on her face. "There's a divergence here, depending on what you can handle. Straight violence, or backstabbing?"

Bile rose in Frisk's throat. "I don't want to see this."

Chara looked away from both the scene and Frisk, her voice barely audible. "Part of me doesn't either." The redhead took a deep breath, turning back. "But I have to, and you can look away for as long as you like. I'm not forcing you to see, just understand."

"Understand what, Chara? That if I had listened, everyone would be dead?"

A silence reigned between them for a good minute, before Chara spoke again. "Yes. They would. And I no longer want that. I want to see them all again. I want to eat butterscotch-cinnamon pie with Mom. I want to water plants with Dad. I want to make bad puns with Sans and Papyrus! I want to watch trash with Alphys and Undyne! I want to dance with Mettaton! I want to be Sorry For Everything I Did To Them!" She was shouting by the end, which made the silence after even worse.

Frisk stood there, staring at the redhead for a second.

Under her gaze, Chara broke, tears starting to run down her face as she tried to hold back a sob and failed. "I... I want to... I want to apologise to them..." 

Frisk walked over, wrapping her arms around the sobbing teen. _Even under all the murder and violence, she's just like me._ "And that's why I can trust you, Chara. You want to make amends."

Letting go, Frisk turned. "I think that it's time to get back and get a tattoo. Don't you?"


	5. Return To Sender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, and the only one to share a colourful heart.  
> Frisk was the last human, and the most determined of all.  
> Night's embrace can be shooed away by friends.

Slowly, the scene of Frisk and Toriel dissolved into the blackness with a wave of Chara's hand, a stone path gently glowing in front of the duo as she wiped her eyes. "I know you have no reason to accept it, Frisk, but I want to thank you for your forgiveness."

Frisk glanced over her shoulder in the redhead's direction. "No need to thank me. Just one thing to clarify."

"Anything. I owe you."

Her brown eyes hardened into dark circles, boring into the previously-maniacal soul. "If you _ever_ hurt any of them, I will get Sans to burn off every part of skin that the tattoo is on, then get all of them in here to _mess. You. **Up.**_ We clear?"

Frisk had never been a violent person, but the threat was serious for her, and she saw Chara gulp nervously at the sudden change. "Crystal."

Threat delivered, the brunette flashed a genuine smile. "Besides, I don't like pitting friends against future friends."

She started striding down the walkway, barely hearing Chara's exclamation of 'Future friend?' as her vision slowly became enveloped by light.

\-------

"This is all my fault, Toriel. I should have checked that they had everything right." His hand was pressed into his forehead, fingers splayed through hair and between horns as Asgore's other hand bent his current seat's armrest, cloak draped over Frisk's bed.

"No one saw this coming. Not even you. Don't blame yourself." Toriel's hands went on his shoulders, squeezing comfortingly. "It was an accident."

A robotic, yet sultry voice near the doorway made Toriel jump and Asgore look up from his hand. "An almost lethal accident, honey."

"Mettaton. I am surprised that you would be here, of all places." The king slowly stood, leaving the partly-mangled chair behind.

The one-armed robot stepped close. "I got home just as you had left. Sans gave me the brief explanation. How is ou-" He stopped himself. " _Your_ darling doing?"

Asgore glared at the synthetic showboat. "She consumed buttercups, how do you _think_ she's doing?"

"I'm showing concern for the only human to care before we came to the surface, Fluffybuns. Why are you getting hostile with me?"

Toriel pushed her way between the two, small flames dancing around her fingers. "Enough. If neither of you can be civil, I will throw both of you out."

The duo paused, then Asgore sighed, sitting down in the chair again. "One was bad enough, and two was heartbreaking. I just don't want a third."

A light groan followed the statement. "A third what?"

\-------

Frisk heard a faint and deep 'I just don't want a third' just as she regained consciousness, her throat sore and stomach empty. _I must be in hospital, probably._

With a light groan, she tried to sit up, her eyes adjusting to the brightness of light on white walls. "A third what?"

She was immediately enveloped in a mass of arms and three exclamations of different things. "Darling! Who did this to you?" "My child, you are safe!" "Frisk, I am sorry."

Her muffled requests for air made the trio quickly back away, and she took a couple of deep breaths. "How long have I been out?"

"Barely a full day. You are quite hardy for a teenager, miss Dreemurr." A doctor had walked in, smiling slightly. "The amount of protoanemonin in your system was low enough that it only took one body cleanse to remove all the toxin. It was also very lucky that you had not ingested anything else or any more protoanemonin."

Frisk nodded, her sore throat only letting her speak a couple of words at a time. "Let out?"

The doctor nodded. "Within the next two days. Don't want you to eat and then just bring it back up again."

"Two days? Surely we can get out faster than _that._ " A robotic hand ran through false hair.

The brunette snapped her fingers at Mettaton a couple of times, coughing slightly even with a smirk. "Health over drama."


	6. Things To Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, and the best at manipulating others.  
> Frisk was the last human, and the best at hiding their feelings.  
> Narcissists can be found in plain sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the very late arrival of this chapter, been busy with life.

After a half-hour of trying to convince Mettaton to not kill Alphys and Undyne, and another half-hour to convince Asgore and Toriel that she would be fine, Frisk was knackered. She felt as if she could eat a horse, and sleep was slowly taking hold.

Fate, however, had other plans, as a finger tapped on her shoulder just as she was rolling over to sleep. "Hey, kiddo. Heard you were doing fine, but I thought I'd check up on ya, just to make sure."

In her head, Chara groaned in annoyance, but Frisk turned over and smiled at the familiar blue hoodie. "Thanks, Sans."

"No problem. I don't wanna take up time, though. Gotta think of you." The ever-present grin on Sans's face made Frisk return one of her own.

The skeleton closed his eyes. "That said, I wanna know a couple of things. Mainly how you recovered so fast from buttercups when you've never had them. I mean, yeah, human constitution is pretty good, but it's a bit odd how you got through it almost perfectly."

Frisk paused. "What?"

"You know what I mean. I did a bit of research, and most times, this kind of thing needs at least two, maybe three pumps. But you... You got it all out in one go. Might just be luck."

Sans's eyes opened, revealing the blank, hollow eyes of hatred and threats. "Or it might be you, Chara."

A single thought ran through Frisk's head. _Oh shit._

"What, didn't think I would remember?" Sans folded his arms, his grin taking on a malicious turn. "That's right, you dirty brother killer. I know you had buttercups before, and I know you helped Frisk. Why? I'm not sure, but I **_will_** kill you both if I have to."

"Sans, I'm Fri-"

The skeleton in question turned away. "Stop. Don't say another word to me, _Chara_." It was astounding to Frisk that one word could be filled with as much malice as what Sans had just done. "I'm heading back. Pap wants his bedtime story, after all."

Without another word, he strode to what Frisk knew as a broom closet, opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind him.

\-------

Dreams were an odd thing to Frisk. Most of the time, it was of the sunset when the barrier broke. Sometimes, it was a fight against one of her friends. On a couple of occasions, it was a nightmare about Alphys's true lab.

Now, however, the 'dream' she was currently having wasn't one at all, but a conversation with Chara, the duo sitting at the table in Toriel's old home, the redhead propping her head up with a hand. "I know I have some explaining to do, Frisk. I never said that this was going to be easy."

"Yeah, you could have told me that Sans _knew about you_. Almost had a heart attack." Frisk was standing, her hands pressed into the table.

Chara sighed. "Sans was always odd. He knew about me, he knew about me trying to influence you, and now he knows I'm back. It's that damn timeline thing."

The brunette growled. "What timeline thing?"

"He has a special thing about him that means he can see a bunch of different outcomes to problems. He knew about the possibilities because he has temporal variance dissonance."

Frisk blinked. "Tempura many-ants dis-what now?"

The chuckle from the other end of the table echoed throughout the darkness. "Temporal variance dissonance. He can see other timelines, including the one where you went murderous under my influence. Main problem with it, though, is that he can't look forward with it, only backward."

Frisk pinched the bridge of her nose. Having the lab nightmares would be better than this. "Alright. So how do we solve the problem of Sans wanting to kill you?"

Chara sighed. "We need to get his trust. Show him that I've changed."

"And how do you propose we show him, huh? Bring him in here and watch as he decides to try and kill you?"

The strain in the other teenager's voice was almost tangible. "If it would not risk turning you into a vegetable, I would have already done that. I've started thinking of a solution that _won't_ end in one of us becoming a red smear along the wall or a twitching mess on the floor."

A deep breath in, then out was the only response to the redhead's comment. "Seems that everything's going to go to a hand-basket."

"I hope it doesn't come to that, Frisk."

\-------

Pacing around the room did not help his thought process or his temper in the slightest, but Sans didn't care. He had seen Chara in those eyes, and the windows to the soul never lie.

His hand clenched into a fist, and a Gaster blaster almost instantly formed over the limb as both armor and a weapon. "Damn it, Frisk, playing with fire. Chara's big trouble."

"WHO IS BIG TROUBLE?" Sans whirled about, before sighing. He had been ready to blast his own brother in the face for being curious.

Instead, he smiled, quickly coming up with a white lie. It wasn't fully true, but not fully false, either. "Just someone in your story, bro. I read ahead, so I know how it ends. In fact, I could say that-"

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT MAKING A PUN, SANS!"

"He _books it_."

The groan of annoyance was worth spoiling the end for Papyrus. And that was why Sans loved his pun-hating, great-reaction-giving, still-living brother.


	7. The Task At Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, but the only one to not lose anything.  
> Frisk was the last human, and the one who could pay the most.  
> New pains can be endured like any other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The design, while not described all that well, is meant to be Kotomine Kirei's command seals:  
> http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/typemoon/images/e/ea/Kirei_cs_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20130803095258

It was almost two days later, after putting up with both the hospital food and all seven of her housemates visiting her for as long as they could, that Frisk was released from the hospital.

_**Come on, let's go and get some actual food**_ , Chara hummed inside her head as Frisk stepped out of the hospital. She was considering herself lucky that she was released while everyone else was busy.

"Not quite yet, Chara. Got something to sort out." She pulled out a pen and notepad from her bag (graciously brought to her by Alphys stuffed with anime, a DVD player and writing supplies), clicking it erratically. "Mind getting the design for me?"

_**Wait, really? Now?** _

Frisk smiled to herself, taking a seat on a nearby bench. "Please."

_**Alright. Alright, just put the pen on the bottom of the paper. I'll get the ratio and the pattern for you.**_ Frisk, surprisingly, noticed a bit of hesitation in the ex-murderess's thoughts.

"Take your time." Grabbing a pair of earbuds, she put them in, the opening strains of Beethoven's Bagatelle no. 25 filling her ears as she closed her eyes and placed the pen on the paper.

Frisk's hand, guided by Chara's influence, almost danced across the page to Für Elise's tune, a tracer highlighting the route the pen took on the back of Frisk's eyelids, showing an angular network of points and lines.

As she opened her eyes, Frisk was surprised at both how pristine the drawing looked and how demonically jagged each line was. "That is certainly... Something. Not sure what exactly it is meant to symbolize."

_**It symbolizes my sharp and violent nature, the unnaturality of this kind of magic, and the interweaving of both of us.**_ The grin on Chara's face was almost palpable, _**In any case, you going to get it done soon?**_

Frisk rose from the bench, striding into the heart of the city with their sketch under one arm bag slung over her shoulder. "I'll see how much it'll be, but should be doable."

\-------

When a teenager wearing a blue and purple sweater walked into his parlor, Nox was a bit taken aback. Sure, he had seen many different people from many different backgrounds come into his tattoo shop, but they were grown adults, not the clearly underage woman standing in front of his desk.

"And what can I do for you, hun? Get you a bunch of wee temporary tats? Take in your CV for a potential internship?" He made sure to seep his words in a heady cocktail of sarcasm and annoyance.

She placed a jagged, hand-drawn design on the desk. "I'd like that up my entire arm."

Nox burst out laughing. "Ahahahaha! You're a practical joker, kid!" His laughter was cut surprisingly short, however, when the girl grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed his face into the desk.

"Ow! Okay, Jesus, you want a tattoo, you got one! Just need proof of you being over eighteen."

The teen pulled out a tertiary study card, and Nox took the time to check the date of birth. "Alright, miss Frisk, you want the tat done over multiple days, or one big session? Either way, for this kind of project, it'd be roughly five thousand dollars to do it."

"One big session. Preferably one day." That made him pause. _A first tattoo, and she wants to go with this?_

Nox nodded. "Alright, but fair warning. You look like a tattoo virgin, and I'll be frank, it hurts like hell. I could get two or three artists in to do it in one day. Just need you to sign this." He pulled one of the familiar waivers from under the desk and held it out for her to take.

She quickly scribbled out a signature on the paper, and Nox placed it aside. "Alright, I can get in a couple of artists tomorrow, if that works for you. Just name who you want."

The kid paused for a second, then smiled. "Khem and Ashara."

"Alright, I'll call them. Be here 8am, or you're not getting the tat." Inwardly, he chuckled. _She ain't gonna turn up that early for a tattoo. All first-timers think they're so brave until the reality hits them._

The teenager nodded, her smile growing slightly. "See you then."

\-------

As soon as Frisk stepped out of Inquisitor Ink, Chara was swearing her mind out. _**Holy crap, this is actually happening. Shit, wow, I never believed for a goddamn second that this shit would ever be happening.**_

The brunette murmured under her breath so as to not attract attention. "I trust you with this, but the first sign of something going wrong, everything gets taken back."

_**I won't give you reason to take anything back, I promise. Sweet hell, it's like Christmas morning.** _

"Patience, Chara. We just need to come up with a reason for tomorrow, and for wearing long-sleeved everything for the next month." Frisk continued to stride through the city, headed back to the shared home of everyone.

A snort sounded in her head. _**Not like that's gonna be hard.**_

Passing by the library, Frisk shrugged. "Harder than you'd think. Now let's get home."


	8. Determination's Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, and the most nocturnal.  
> Frisk was the last human, and the only one who enjoyed being early.  
> Numb arm of human might be the order of the day  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry for the lack of recent updates, shit's been going down in life.  
> In any case, enjoy the new chapter!

Frisk's house key slowly turned in the lock, door creaking open as she took the bag off her shoulders, shucking it under the entrance corridor's desk before calling out. "Hello? Anyone home?"

After a minute of no response, she sighed, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a pot of instant noodles from the cupboard. _Alphys's addiction and preference for this stuff does sometimes come in handy_ , she thought, waiting for the jug to boil.

Chara's mental voice chimed in with an amused hum on her part. _**Always hated the wait for them. Loved them raw, though. Nice and crunchy.**_

"Of course you would." Frisk leaned on the counter, her tone a half-tease, half-scold. "Then again, you never were one for being inside the normal behaviors, were you?"

The quiet 'clack' of the jug interrupted her, and she poured out the scalding hot water into the noodles. The pause in her speech gave Chara a chance to retort. _**Well, neither are you.**_

A sigh escaped Frisk as she closed her eyes, the redhead visible on her eyelids. "Okay, fair point. In any case, tomorrow's going to be ink day. You ready for it?"

She felt, rather than saw, Chara bite her lip. _**Well... I never thought it'd be happening, so there's a healthy amount of apprehension, but I think we can work through this.**_ The nodding of her head seemed to Frisk like it was more self-inspiration than confirmation.

"We?" The brunette smirked, stirring the flavour sachets into the simple snack. "Seems you're finally in on us working together."

Chara's dark chuckle echoed in her ears, even as Frisk heard the door opening, the sounds of her monster friends and housemates filling the previously empty home. _**I have been since we woke up from the buttercups.**_

\-------

After the usual 'You're out of hospital, oh my god, why did you not tell us' routine from everyone, and the compulsory family dinner made by Toriel, Frisk was knackered. She wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Plodding up the stairs with a general 'goodnight', she flopped onto her bed, setting an alarm for seven in the morning on her phone. _Give myself an hour to get ready and there._

 _ **If I didn't know how little time you take to dress yourself for a regular day, I'd be saying at least two,**_ the ever-present Chara murmured. _**But hey, that's just my two cents.**_

The brunette's tired growl was all the answer she gave before sleep took hold.

\-------

The first rays of sun had barely tickled her curtains before Frisk was bolting upright in bed, alarm blaring. With a sigh, she flicked her phone's alarm off and pulled herself off the bed, headed straight for the shower. _Hour on the clock._

She stepped in just as her brain, and Chara, caught up to her body. _**Uuurgh, why are we up this damn early?**_

"Today's tat day, and he said be there by eight." It took a couple of minutes for the hot water to invigorate Frisk, but she shook off the tiredness and washed herself.

 _ **It's early, okay? I'm not a morning person.**_ The statement sounded as if Chara was hungover, which made Frisk smirk, pulling her clothes on quicker than normal and stretching a bit.

The brunette grabbed her bag and strode to the stairs, descending them two at a time and giving Toriel a quick wave from the kitchen entrance. "Heading out to study, don't worry, I'll grab a healthy breakfast out."

Barely hearing the reply, Frisk stepped outside and made a beeline for the street, jogging down towards the tattoo parlor.

\-------

The keys jangled in Nox's hands as he pulled himself out of his car, striding to the entrance to Inquisitor Ink. "Today's going to be fun," he sarcastically growled to himself, opening the door and stepping inside.

With a flick, the lights of the shop snapped on, and he took a deep breath in, savoring the smell of ink, but a polite cough behind him made him turn about. "Sorry, I'll get out of..."

He paused, looking at the teenager from yesterday. "You..." With a sigh, he stepped aside, gesturing. "Alright, you're committed. Follow me."

Nox strode around the counter, his first customer following. "Khem's probably asleep in the back, and Ashara'll turn up at quarter to. So you got fifteen minutes of spare time before you can start."

Whacking a fist on a seemingly random door, he yelled out. "Come on, big guy! It's seven thirty! Get the hell up!"

Turning back to the girl, he sighed. "In all honesty, I was not expecting you to commit to this, but hell, you're here. Now, I'd like to know how you're payi-" The word was barely out of his mouth before a cheque was dancing in front of his eyes, with a grin plastered across the teen's face.

Swiping the paper from her hands, Nox double checked the bank against the ones he knew. "Well, shit, that's valid. You got yourself a tattoo, miss..." he paused, waiting for her to state her name.

"Frisk. Frisk Dreemurr."

He nodded. "Sounds good, miss Frisk. Now, I think Khem's awake by now. Ashara will probably be coming in soon."

The teen nodded, and Nox strode for the front desk, passing a familiar face on the way. "Client's here for you and Khem. Full day's work."

The chipper "Got it!" made him groan inwardly. _Damn her being so chipper._


	9. Tattoo's Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, and the first to plan for a return.  
> Frisk was the last human, with enough room for two.  
> Nascent energies are harder to control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry for the lack of an update, other activities have been taking up time.  
> Have an extra long chapter in apology!

Frisk had been leaning against the wall for a minute after the owner had left for the front desk, looking about and noting the angular design of the hallway, before the door in front of her opened, the being in the doorway making both her and Chara gulp.

From the bulk alone, almost impossibly muscular and large, it had to be a man. Piercing red eyes glared out at his surroundings, and a mixture of red and black tattoos marred his athletic, surprisingly pale body. No hair was on his head, which only made him more intimidating.

His voice was as dark, gravelly and horrific as his appearance, and it didn't help that Frisk had no idea what he was saying. "La usvil-aljai jai-ins?"

It took a second for her to realize that the monstrous man was talking to her. "Oh, uh, I'm Frisk, the full day tattoo commission?"

The bulky bruiser paused, then slowly nodded. "Uus nemare."

Frisk had no idea what he had said. "Uh, English, please? Habla español? Parlez-vous français?"

A snort from behind her made Frisk whirl about, seeing a tan girl with a white tattoo covering most of her forehead and eyes, her double-ponytail hair a blue and white tangle. "Khem understands English, he just hates speaking it." Extending a cup of steaming hot coffee to him, the woman smiled. "Name's Ashara. Khem and I are gonna be working on your tattoo. Interesting design, if I do say so."

The worried smile that Frisk pulled across her face made Khem roll his eyes, downing half of his coffee in one mouthful. "Ne-katemos iin-iin pisemeban frumas tosida fraum."

"Khem, come on, it's a good design. The entire thing can fit along her arm, and it's not like your tattoos were any better at her age." Ashara gently slugged the gargantuan gentleman in the shoulder, before gesturing for Frisk to follow, taking a sip from her own mug. "Come on. Let's get started. The sooner we do, the sooner you can enjoy the look of it."

As the tan woman opened a door, gesturing inside, Frisk nodded, walking into what awaited her with her head held high. _**The sooner we can actually prove a change of heart**_ , Chara murmured internally.

\-------

Frisk had to remove her shirt for them to stencil the design up her arm, and she was a bit cold sitting in the leather chair, arm propped up. "Excuse me, Ashara?"

The tattooist turned her head from filling up a small pot of paint. "Yeah?"

"Is there any chance of getting a coffee? Or maybe a heater in here?"

Ashara nodded, a bright smile on her face. "I'll get right on the heater problem. Khem, you mind filling these?" Standing up, she placed the handful of pots beside a drum of red paint, before striding out the door, leaving the muscular male with the slightly terrified teenager.

The titanic tattooist growled, before reaching over and starting to fill the remaining pots, one hand at red and the other at black. "Selon sii-kardi gai."

Frisk was merely content to watch Khem fill the paints, uncertain in her own throat to say anything, on risk of sounding stupid or ignorant. Surprisingly, Chara was also quiet, as much as she could be. _**I would not want to piss him off in a dark alley.**_

Holding a pot in each hand, Khem brought them up to the light, speaking aloud almost absentmindedly, or at least looking like it was absentminded to Frisk. "Laikiinan uus-wambai?"

"Erm... I, uh... I don't really understand you, mister Khem, sir."

The room filled with silence, then he spoke again, pausing after every couple of words as if deliberating the translation from his own language to English. "Is this... your... first tattoo?"

A relieved smile eased its way onto Frisk's face. _**That was lucky to get him to say it in English.**_ "Yes, it is."

Khem nodded, tapping a tattoo gun into one pot, then onto a slab of paper, the brief buzz making Frisk jump. "Have you felt... pain... before?"

Chara gulped in her head. _**Is this gonna hurt? This is probably going to hurt.**_ Frisk, however, would not be swayed. "What kind of pain?"

Just as Khem was about to answer, the door flung open again, Ashara bustling in with a handful of tattoo guns and paintbrushes. "Alright, got some backups, just in case something breaks or we need a new brush."

Frisk had never been more glad for someone to interrupt her.

\-------

A couple of hours later, Chara was screaming in Frisk's head, the pain of each stab into her flesh affecting both personalities. _**OH GOD, MAKE IT STOP! IT HURTS SO MUCH, WHY DID I AGREE TO THIS?**_

With her teeth clenched, Frisk couldn't respond without yelling in pain. Luckily, she had managed to keep a straight face since the first stroke of the tattoo needle. Every blink, however, showed her passenger kneeling on a patch of buttercups and grabbing their shoulder, tears streaming down her face as more of the tattoo developed in real time.

"Gaam-glin iistfran jaan, kou paiin-anaan."

The incomprehensible statement snapped her out of her reverie, Khem and Ashara sitting either side of her arm and working on different parts. "Yeah, actually. You know, you're really tough for a teenager. Not even reacting to the needle. For a first-timer, that's impressive."

Frisk merely nodded, not trusting her throat in the slightest as the buzz of two tattoo guns started again in earnest, a glimpse of red dripping off the ends. Chara's panicked voice, however, found plenty of ground in the brunette's head at the sight. _**IS THAT BLOOD? PLEASE TELL ME THAT ISN'T BLOOD! MOTHER OF SHIT, WHAT IS THIS PAIN?**_

"Don't worry. If you find it painful, say so. I mean, you're clearly struggling with something, so just speak up if it's too much." Ashara smiled at Frisk, wiping the end of her gun while Khem continued impassively and wordlessly.

Even though she dearly wanted to scream along with Chara, she had done well so far. Deciding to keep her mouth shut, Frisk returned the smile, mixing in a bit of Chara's psychotic personality.

Ashara blinked, then quickly returned to the tattoo. "Alright. Just saying. Sorry if I offended you."

A deep chuckle resounded in the room, originating from Khem. "Maizen-pama."

\-------

It had gotten dark when the two had stepped back, and Frisk could not have been happier with the end result, even if the pain had made her arm numb. The deep red shards shone with a mystical quality, the light above illuminating the jagged edges of each block.

Ashara wiped her brow, sweat gently trickling down from the roots of her hair. "Wow, never thought it would turn out this good."

Khem leaned against a wall, twirling the tattoo gun as if it were a proper one. "Uufal allei-zei rekechecha."

As the two started to bicker, Frisk started to feel light-headed, blinking a couple of times and tuning out Khem and Ashara. _Chara? What's going on?_

_**Don't worry, it's...**_ Chara paused. _**I... We're currently...**_ Her explanation was cut off by a yawn. _**Okay, I think we're both far too tired for an explanation.**_

"Fair enough. We'll head home." Grabbing her bag, she smiled at the two. "Thank you for today. I'll just sleep this off." Turning to head for the door...

She was stopped when Ashara grabbed her right arm. "Hooold it, honey. Tomorrow, that's gonna itch like nothing you ever knew. We need to wrap it before you make like a tree."

With a sigh, Frisk sat back down, her head swimming as Khem started unraveling a long bandage, trying to give a comforting smile. "Dargiis guulun."

Frisk raised her arm, then paused as the wrappings slowly wound around her arm with a careful and surprisingly light hand from the athletic artist. "Iinsok ja-hiimon guundanaja aiu-piro."

In the pain-induced haze, Frisk barely made out the words, let alone their meaning. "Let me guess, try to keep as much water off as possible?"

She was surprised to see Ashara nod. "Pretty much what he just said. You're getting good at understanding Khem. Maybe you could come back for another tat." A coy wink followed the statement, and Frisk felt her face start to flush.

Luckily, the giant stepped back, folding his arms and admiring the bandage handiwork. Frisk tried flexing, and found it had give, but it was still tight around her arm. "Warr-pais briigan iis wiis biidan."

"No doing anything too physical with it, either, Khem says."

With a nod, Frisk slowly stood up again. "Thank you both for doing this." Giving both tattooists a hug, she started making her way back to the entrance of the shop.


	10. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, but never got to experience a proper upbringing.  
> Frisk was the last human, and has a lot of explaining to do.  
> New threats are made apparent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more, I do apologise for the lateness of this chapter.  
> The main problem is time and a bit of the inspiration, but now I should be able to put out more stuff.  
> Touch wood, of course. *knocks head*

Along the horizon, the rest of the city started to light up in a cascade of color, casting a magnificent glow in the dark sky overhead as Frisk and Chara fought together to stave off the tendrils of sleep that threatened to engulf them, one foot trudging in front of the other countless times. _**Just a bit longer... Just a bit... Gotta get home...**_

"We're here, Chara." With a wide yawn, Frisk grabbed the handle and twisted, stumbling through the threshold... and into Toriel.

With a brief grunt of exertion, the colloquial 'goat mom' wrapped her arms around Frisk. "I was just about to go out and look for you. You must have been studying so much today. Head right up to bed, you look exhausted. I'll bring dinner up."

Frisk smiled, continuing her elongated trudging into the home and towards the stairs leading up, giving everyone at the table a general wave of greeting and a tired "Hello."

Heading up, she felt a couple of malicious and angry eyes bore into her back among the general greetings she received. Chara sighed within her head. _**Three guesses as to who.**_

As she flopped onto her bed, Frisk closed her eyes, focusing internally and thinking a response. _Sans, Sans and Sans. Figured. He knows. Probably gonna get flak from him. Don't care. Let's sleep for a week._

The last thing that Frisk heard before she succumbed to the beckoning of unconsciousness was from Chara. _**I like that idea. Sleep is good.**_

\-------

A throbbing pain in both her head and her arm eventually dragged Frisk from her reverie, and with a groan, she sat up, rubbing her temple. "Urgh, it's like a hangover..."

 _ **You're telling me. Feel like I got smashed in the head by a kick from Mettaton.**_ A deep inhale and shuddering exhale followed Chara's statement, and Frisk found herself doing the same.

Pulling herself out of bed, Frisk looked at her left arm, wrapped tightly in the bandages. She so desperately wanted to rip the bandages off and scratch the itch that had been crawling underneath; to, even for a second, relieve herself of the intensity of her arm.

Her right arm wasn't listening, apparently, and she glared at it to find a spectral hand holding the wrist, Chara giving her a raised eyebrow. _**That Khem guy... He said to keep it dry and not scratch it, yeah?**_

With a sigh, the brunette relented, letting her right flop for a bit. "Yeah..." Taking a deep breath in, she strode for the door, opening it...

And seeing Sans leaning on the opposite wall, his usual grin plastered onto his face. "Hey, kiddo. Finally woke up, huh? Must've been tiring, doing all that _studying_ all yesterday."

Frisk's expression froze in shock. "Sans, listen. It's not what-"

"Oh, I know _full well_ what I think this is." The grin quickly disappeared, his left eye glowing with a divine blue radiance as a quartet of his signature Gaster Blasters floated up from the floor. "You're going down, _Chara."_

The last thought that Chara and Frisk had before their SOULs pulsed outward was a combined _**Oh crap.**_

\-------

The SOULs of both Chara and Frisk surged from their body, intermingling with each other and fusing into one full heart with a gradient; from left to right, from a crimson red to a light rose red.

Sans growled, gesturing forwards and sending the Blasters after the corrupted SOUL, beams carving great swathes of energy around... Chara? Frisk? He wasn't sure which one was in control. He was sure, however, that he had to eradicate the monster inside his friend.

Almost as if they had done so before, their SOUL darted about, deftly dodging the dangerous destruction that he was delivering. "Sans, stop this! Can't we talk?"

With a dark chuckle, Sans summoned another group of Blasters, glaring at the fused duo. "I know if I stop, you're going to destroy everything. I can't let that happen."

Calling on his rage, the skeleton continued throwing beams at the corrupted SOUL with each word. "So just lay down and die, _Chara!"_

Even with all his anger, he just couldn't hit them, their movements unpredictable and chaotic. "I don't want to fight you anymore, Sans!"

"SHUT _UP!"_ As the timelines flashed through his vision, showing the death and destruction that happened before, the dam of emotions broke, and his now-unbridled fury became evident on his face, an army of Gaster Blasters erupting from the floor. "I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BROTHER-MURDERING BITCH!"

Sweat was trickling down his skull, and his vision was hazed from the hatred, but he had to keep going. No one else seemed to know, and he intended to keep it that way, even if he died along with the demon child.

In that moment of thought, their body hugged him.

\-------

Chara had never hugged anyone before, but in the blind rage Sans had consumed himself in, it seemed like the best idea at the time. Frisk had been frantically scrambling alongside Chara's practiced and artful dodges against the Gaster Blasters, and the brunette wanted a fast solution.

"Sans, please. It's me, Frisk." She knew it was a complete lie, but there had to be _something_ there for him to not immediately shove her off and annihilate them both in a single beam. "I know you're angry, but can you _please_ listen to me for a second?"

With a growl, the skeleton paused, every Gaster blaster crackling with energy as he glared into her shoulder.

"Thank you. Now, I know this might look bad, but Chara's..." She faltered. _**What**_ **do _I want?_** "She's not who you remember anymore. She wants to help. She wants to repent. I want to make right what I did wrong." It took a second for her to realise her statement.

His head shot up in surprise. "What _you_ did wrong?"

The red in her hair glimmered with each arc of blue energy around them. "Yeah. What _I_ did wrong."

It felt like an eternity passed before the skeleton moved again, stepping out of the embrace and glaring at the duo. Even longer still was his response, blasters slowly fading with the newfound knowledge. "Alright. I'll play this little game of yours, Chara. But if I so even _sniff_ one toe out of place, you're going down. You hear me?"

Sans' threat made her snort in amusement. "That was the terms of me coming over initially. One wrong move, and Frisk brings you in here-" She tapped her- no, _their_ temple. "To deal with me, along with whoever else that might like to come along."

Striding past the blue hoodie for the stairs, Chara's right eye winked back at him, Frisk's neat brown switching out the psychotic red as the original host's voice arose. "And don't worry, Sans. What's life without a few F- _risks?"_


	11. Experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, but quickly figured out eye-catching outfits.  
> Frisk was the last human, and never really got up to date with fashion trends.  
> Nightclubs are something that need to be experienced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter? I know, it's a blue moon!  
> Been busy with life, so haven't been able to get writing done.  
> Apologies, and have an extra long chapter to make up for it. :-)  
> 

It took a couple of days for the dust to settle between Sans and Frisk, with constant repartee and woven threats in every conversation. Embarrassingly, Papyrus had taken Frisk aside and talked to her about 'THE RISKS OF DATING MY BROTHER, EVEN THOUGH THAT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY COOL'. Frisk had laughed it off, explaining that no, there wasn't anything going on between her and Sans.

Fortunately, no one else pressed the matter after that, seeing as Papyrus hadn't exactly been discreet about asking. Some nights had even had Chara be in control, albeit on a tight leash. For two winter weeks, no one had questioned their long sleeves, and a visit back to Inquisitor Ink had said that the bandages stay on until it doesn't itch.

 _ **Hey Frisk, you trust me, yeah?**_ The question had come out of the blue after a nice roast turkey dinner, the brunette quietly drawing on a pad paper during the usual Saturday movie night.

A quick glance around confirmed everyone was either watching the movie with vivid interest, cuddling beside someone or making out, and Frisk felt safe enough to write a response back. 'a bit. why?'

The low light was a perfect cover for Chara to come to the forefront and have a look at the drawing, their left eye glinting ever so slightly. _**Nice doodle. And the why is because on one of the nights you were backseat driving, Undyne invited us clubbing. You know, to learn about human culture. She said Alphys would come too. Also, you know you can respond mentally, right?**_

Frisk yawned slightly, blinking a couple of times and tilting her head to look at the drawing at another angle, the margin holding the discreet conversation. 'only when eyes closed. sounds fun.'

 _ **I knew you'd be down for it. We'll both have input as to what to wear, too. Don't want you feeling badly out of place and uncomfortable.**_ Discreetly leaning over to the side, Frisk whispered to the fish monster beside her. "Hey, Undyne. I'll take you up on that clubbing offer."

A toothy grin flashed back at her, the normally loud voice hushed to an immensely quiet degree. "Neato, bestie. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Slowly sidling out from the seat and under the projector, Frisk left the theatre room without a sound, glad that everyone else was occupied by the movie. Letting out a huge yawn, she rubbed her cheek. "Bed?"

 _ **Bed sounds good.**_ The duo yawned, Chara tilting their head from side to side and relishing in the little pops.

"Already wanting sleep, huh?"

Chara sighed internally as Frisk turned about, giving Sans a raised eyebrow. _**Oh boy, here we go.**_ "Is that a problem?"

The skeleton chuckled, folding his arms with his signature grin. "Nah, it's not a problem. Just interesting. Seems the two of you need more sleep than most. Also, you're not the most discreet person. Writing in the margin of a book is old hat."

A growl echoed through Frisk's head. _**Hey, it worked, asshole.**_ Taking a breath in, Frisk returned a smile. "Maybe so, Sans. But we all have our little, shall we say, quirks."

He nodded slowly. "Fair enough. Just watch yourselves out there. No telling what kind of trouble _someone_ could land in."

As the skeleton retreated into his own room, Chara's growling went animalistic. _**I'm going to kill that bastard bonehead if he continues to be an ass. I mean, come on, he is just completely antagonistic about this, isn't he?**_

"Well, he is concerned about your... previous experiences, Chara." Opening the door to her own room and flopping onto the bed, Frisk peeled off her clothing with a yawn. "Plus, you confirmed his worries about your violence just now."

A long pause followed. _**... Shut up. Let's just get some sleep.**_

Frisk curled up into a rough ball under the covers, shivering slightly from the cold as her body heat slowly warmed her to sleep. "Fine. But we're going to talk about your anger sooner rather than later."

\-------

"Come on, bestie! Up and at 'em!"

Frisk groaned slightly as she was rudely dragged from her slumber. Looming above her, Undyne grinned. "We're going to make everything awesome for tonight!"

"Tonight?" It was amazing, how legible Frisk could be in the morning before having her wake-up shower. Inside her head, Chara mumbled. _**Mmmh, five more minutes, I just wanna sleep for a bit longer.**_

"Hell yeah, tonight! We'll hit all the awesome clubs!"

With another groan, Frisk pulled herself out of bed, then froze as she realised something. _Undyne hasn't seen the tattoo._

It was at that moment Undyne wolf-whistled. "Nice sleeve. What's under it?"

 _ **Oh crap. Okay, uh, we need a distraction.**_ "What's it worth to you, Undyne?"

"Well, I could tell everyone else that you've got a weird sleeve on your arm."

 _ **So, that's how the bitch wants to play it. Fine.**_ With a sigh, Frisk slowly undid the wrapping around it. Most of the itching had gone, and the tattoo looked both extremely crisp and horrifically jagged.

Undyne's eyes went wide. "Holy carp, that looks awesome. When'd you get it?"

"Roughly a month ago." The discomfort of admitting when it was done was a bit new to Frisk. "Now can I please shower?"

With a sigh, the fish monster walked out. "Alright, fine. But we're going to get spruced up for tonight!"

As Frisk strode into the shower, Chara growled. _**Damn it. Now we're going to have to show it to everyone.**_

"I know. And you're going to have to control your anger." Frisk slowly massaged the shampoo into her hair, closing her eyes and letting the water cascade over her. "I did say we'd talk about it."

Chara was sitting in the darkness, her black jean-covered legs crossed and arms folded under her black bra. _**Easy for you to talk about. You're not the one who has everyone against you. Sans is only the first one to notice. What's Undyne going to do when she finds out, or Mettaton, or even Asgore and Toriel?**_

"Okay, yeah, it's going to be difficult, but you can't let that stop you." Frisk stepped out, drying herself off and sliding on a simple pair of jeans with a black tank top. "How about this. You get through today and tonight, and I'll let you loose in town with some cash."

 _ **Done. I know exactly what we're doing.**_ The agreement seemed a bit too easy, but Frisk wasn't going to look the gift horse in the mouth.

Flexing her left arm, she walked down into the kitchen, where Undyne was animatedly talking to Alphys. "I swear, it was awesome! There were all these-" She stopped, then pointed. "Hell, Frisk can show you!"

Alphys raised a curious eyebrow. "I'm s-s-surprised. You have a tattoo, Frisk? Did it hurt?"

With a sigh, Frisk bore her arm on the table. "Yes, it hurt. Do it only if you're certain."

"Wow... Up close, it looks so cool." Undyne's eyes fixated on the red tangle, and Frisk felt a bit self-conscious. "Where'd you get it done?"

"Inquisitor Ink, in town. Ask for Khem and Ashara, they did this." Of course, Frisk failed to mention that she'd done it on a day where everyone expected her to be studying, but there was no need to tell them that.

\-------

The wardrobe lay bare, doors spread wide open and revealing every clothing item Frisk had. For her part, she was standing in front of it, a hand on her chin in contemplation. "Alright, you said we'd be going even on this, right?"

 _ **Of course. Now, do you want to start, or should I?**_ Chara hummed, the tattoo's glow giving her a slight outline beside Frisk.

"I'll let you start." Closing her eyes, Frisk's left hand guided itself into her closet, and she opened them when it grabbed a set of lacy black underwear. "Really?"

 _ **Hey, you let me go first. I never said what I was grabbing.**_ With a sigh, Frisk grabbed a relatively plain crimson skirt. "Alright, fine. Say what you're getting next."

 _ **Footwear.**_ Frisk's left was drawn in again, and she pulled out a pair of vicious-looking boots.

"What in the world?" _**Huh. That's interesting. Never thought I could bring something through.**_

"Alright, that's your item." Frisk reached in and grabbed a matching gradient shirt, from rose pink at the collar to crimson down the bottom. "Now, unless you're really suggesting that I pierce my ears or grab jewellery, I think we're done."

 _ **What about a jacket? Or stockings for the legs? It's going to be cold, right?**_ The smirk was almost able to be heard rather than seen.

"Fair enough. Which one are you choosing?"

 _ **Oh, I know full well what I'll grab.**_ Frisk's left arm reached in and grabbed a leather jacket she had gotten a while back from Papyrus as a gift. _**Your move, sexy.**_

"You are extremely weird, you know that?" Swiping a pair of black stockings, she tossed them onto the bed, where everything else had been splayed out. "Now, let's get into all of this."

\-------

"Do we really need the knives in the boots?" Frisk turned about in her mirror. She had to admit, she did look attractive, but Chara seemed intent on having a bit more to put in.

 _ **Do you really want a perv grabbing the shirt and going to town on you? Besides, it makes the boots look more complete.**_ Chara folded her arms, appraising Frisk through the mirror. _**You look hot, and it pays to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it.**_

"We'll have Undyne and Alphys with us. We'll be fine." She rolled her eyes, giving the redhead a slight glare. "You just want to stab someone."

 _ **Scout's honour, I won't stab anyone unless they try something malicious with us.**_ Chara raised her right hand in the traditional scout's hand gesture. _**I swear on Asriel.**_

"Fine." Sliding the knives into the boots felt oddly comforting, but still a bit weird. "But no using it casually. Emergencies only."

_**Yes, mom. Now, let's go downstairs and make the nerds blush.** _

Rolling her eyes, Frisk headed downstairs into the kitchen, the clomping of her boots signalling her arrival.

"Nice to see you got dress-" Undyne's voice got caught in her throat as Frisk leaned against the counter, blinking rapidly as she straightened her own leather jacket out before coughing. "Got dressed up for tonight."

Alphys, by contrast, had not recovered so well from seeing Frisk, holding her nose with a couple of tissues. "Yesh, id's good to shee you down here."

"Well, I have to compete with you two." The sultry words were out of her mouth before she could stop Chara, and the sauropod fainted into her fish's arms.

Undyne rolled her eyes. "Alright, smoothie, you're reviving Alphys, and then we're hitting the clubs."

\-------

An hour later, they'd gotten through the doors of Club Amnesia, a drink in hand and both feet twirling on the dance floor. It had taken some cajoling on Frisk's part (well, Chara's), but the trio were enjoying themselves immensely, bumping and grinding to the beat.

Three songs passed, and Frisk was leaning against the bar, sipping on her drink as Undyne and Alphys drunkenly slow-danced in the middle of the club, murmuring to herself a bit. "Gotta say, this was a good idea."

 _ **Since when do I disappoint in a good time? I'm a violent hedonist.**_ Chara hummed in her head. _**Also, guy with a drink ten meters to your left, headed straight for you.**_

Frisk pretended not to notice as a scraggly-looking, very lean man leaned on the bar beside her. "Evening, hun. Couldn't help but notice that you came in with those freaks." He gestured in Alphys and Undyne's vague direction. "How about you ditch the two and have a good time with a real man?"

"I think I'll pass, if it's with you." She turned, finding someone else on her other side. Turning back to the first man, he smirked in response.

The larger asshole behind her growled lowly. "You're coming with us."

 _ **Okay, this is bad. Who knows what could happen.**_ Frisk set her drink on the bar, folding her arms. "What's making me?"

"Well, the fact that we'll treat you better if you come with us willingly." The first man grinned, his disgusting gold-plated teeth bared lecherously. "Plus, we won't have to make a scene."

With an inhale, she unfolded her arms. "Alright, fine. You're going to regret this, though." Inwardly, she stepped back, giving a nod to Chara.

The duo nodded at each other, then began walking. What they failed to notice was the woman's black hair had slowly changed into a burnt auburn, her eyes had gone from a deep brown into a blood-dripping red, and the long jagged tattoo on her arm had faded into a purple with the hair and eyes.

\-------

"Alright, honey, we're going to have some fun." The wiry shorter man chuckled as he led the trio into the men's toilets, then turned about with a grin. "Now, where shall we start, the tits, or the pu-"

His sentence was cut off in a scream as Chara shoved the first knife into his shoulder, the other stabbing into his crotch with a brutal twist. He collapsed to the ground with a whimper, and the big one whirled about to see her looming over the lanky bastard, two knives dripping with blood in her hands.

She glared at him, a maniacal grin spread across her face. "This is my kind of fun. What's yours, you big fucker?"

He cracked his knuckles, which gave Chara the time she needed to slip into his guard and stab him in the gut. He doubled over, exposing his throat, and she slammed the hilt of her other dagger into it, causing him to crumple to the floor as well, coughing and holding his gut.

"Don't. Touch. Me. Or. Her." The redhead wiped the knives on the idiots, then sheathed them as she turned to the doorway.

 _Chara, that was both amazing and horrifying. Are they going to be okay?_ Frisk, as always, made her look back at them to check.

"Should be fine, as long as an ambulance is on the way." Opening the door, Chara hummed as she stepped out. "Besides, they had it coming."

She got ten feet away before a rough hand was on her shoulder, and she stopped. "If that hand is not removed in five seconds, it'll no longer be attached to an arm."

"Come on, slut, you just walked out of the gents when two others went in. We're just looking for a good time." Four chuckles followed the slimy speaker.

 _It's five against you. You sure you can handle it?_ Frisk was worried about her. Chara felt a smile creep onto her face. "Sure."

The five chuckles all paused, the leader speaking again. "Wait, just like that?"

With a back kick into his crotch, he went down, and Chara had a knife twirling in her hand. "One down, four to go. Who's next?"


	12. Standing Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara was the first human to fall down, and always went against the law.  
> Frisk was the last human, consistently nice and abiding.  
> Numerous charges could ruin a night out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy. One explanation for the current state, coming up.  
> So, recently, I've been stagnant with a lot of things, one of them being this.  
> Motivation's been a bit lacking as well, and much as I'd love to spill the ideas I have on this fic all over the place, it's hard to write for it sometimes.  
> Apologies for such a late chapter, once again.

Normally, young ladies in Club Amnesia were very amicable, open to all kinds of fun and games. Almost any kind of amusement could be acquired, for the right price and at the right time.

Chara, however, was for one not in the mood, for two eager to leave, and for three having none of it.

As the remaining quartet stepped forward with weapons hefted, the smirk on her face turned into a psychotic grin. "Come on, guys, do you really think you stand a chance against me? Not that I'm complaining, of course, I'd love to touch up on my practical knowledge of the human digestive system."

Casually twirling the blade in her hand, she heard Frisk retch inside her head and pointedly ignored it, focusing instead on one of the idiots speaking to her. "Listen, we can work this out, girlie. Just let us have our fun, and we'll send you on your way."

"Hmm..." She pursed her lips in a mockery of concentration, before flinging her knife into the speaker's thigh, the resultant scream like music to her ears. "How's that for an answer?"

A red haze descended over her vision, and for a good half-minute, Chara lost herself to violence, body moving on instinct and twisting lithely in multiple directions. Faintly, she felt Frisk hold her back from killing any of them, but she still knocked the four of them to the floor in various states of pain, even using their own weapons (and a couple of makeshift clubs and stabbing implements) against them.

"Sorry, assholes, but I've got my eyes on someone already." With a sultry stride, the knives disappeared into her boots, and she vanished into the crowd of people.

Making her way across the dance floor, Chara simply smiled at the familiar outlines of Alphys and Undyne, tapping her neck twice as she approached. "You two good?"

The pair turned about, throwing Chara for a loop because _the pair wasn't Alphys and Undyne_ , two admittedly beautiful ladies looking back at her. "Uh... Yes? Do we know you?"

"Oh, that's, uh, my bad. Thought you two were, um, other people. Enjoy your night." Turning for the door, she made it out and half a block over before she heard the sirens. It took no pushing for Chara to give control back.

\-------

"Excuse me, ma'am, can we talk to you for a minute?"

Glancing up from her boots, Frisk locked eyes with two gentleman in their thirties, dressed in the uniform blue of the police force. "How can I help you, officers?"

The one on her left cleared his throat, the chill of the park around them fogging his breath. "There's been an incident in a nearby club, Amnesia, which a woman matching your description was seen leaving. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Inside her head, Chara started swearing up a storm while Frisk kept a straight face. "What happened?"

"Apparently, seven people were found heavily wounded in the men's bathroom, and other clubgoers claim that a woman matching your description was in there."

 _ **Okay, shit, this is bad. How about we just... fuck, I don't know, tell the truth? All of them tried to rape us, and we had no fucking choice but to defend ourselves? Play the 'defenseless teenager' card?**_ Chara's panic was not helping in the slightest, and Frisk closed her eyes for a second, watching the redhead pace around in the same outfit she had on.

Letting out a breath, she opened her eyes and looked back at the expectant officers. "They..." She swallowed, blinking a couple of times. "They all tried..." Every time, a lump formed in her throat. "Tried to..." A couple of wet drops splashed onto her arms.

"Ma'am?"

The hesitance and offer of comfort broke the lump in her throat and she sunk to the ground, sobbing. "I didn't mean to, I-I just had to get away, and they tried to break my dress... and there were so many of them, and I couldn't..."

A hard hand was on her shoulder. "Ma'am... We're going to have to get you to accompany us."

Frisk nodded dumbly, slowly standing on unsteady legs and getting into the police car.

\-------

"So, let me get this straight. You went into Club Amnesia with a fish monster and a dinosaur monster, got cornered by two males, were led into the bathrooms, stabbed both of them when they tried to rape you, then did the same thing to a group of five outside who also tried. After all of that, you calmly walked out and sat on the park bench where we found you."

With a sheepish nod, Frisk sunk further into her seat. "Yes, sir."

"You are extremely lucky that all of them are high-ranking gang members infamous for being hard to catch." The inspector's glare through his glasses was sharper than any weapon that Frisk and Chara had ever seen. "Even luckier that you managed to survive resisting them, let alone actually beating them in a fight."

The confusion on her face made the inspector push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Because if they had been anybody else, you would be arrested for seven counts of both mayhem and battery."

Every ounce of blood drained from Frisk's face.

"As it stands, however, we can acquit you of all charges if you claim to have been an undercover officer working a sting operation."

Frisk's brow furrowed slightly. "Is that legal, sir? Do I have to become a sworn officer?"

"No in both cases, but we're willing to bend the rules sometimes to catch seven of our local most wanted." The inspector leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "I don't like this any more than you do, ma'am, but I'd prefer to not send a young woman like you to jail for defending herself."

"If it means this kind of thing won't happen as often, sir, then I accept."


End file.
